Long running public sector strikes settled, race riots quashed, an uplift in the minimum wage, NHS waiting lists cut, NHS England scrapped, breakfast clubs introduced in schools, 100,00 extra kids entitled to free school meals, renationalisation of the railways, the establishment of GB Energy, British steel saved, record numbers of immigrants deported, inflation down, interest rates falling, a trade deal with India, a trade deal with the United States, a trade reset with the EU, Britain's reputation on the world stage restored, the unveiling of an industrial strategy and the launch of a trade strategy. If you had told Keir Starmer that his government would achieve all of this in its first year, I’m sure he’d have been delighted. However, his personal ratings have tumbled, as have that of the Labour Party. Do we have a government that is good at getting things done- but bad at politics?

Welcome to the latest episode of The Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

The government is launching a ten year industrial strategy this week, will Labour get any credit for its longer term approach to the country’s problems- and might a certain mayor from Manchester be able to help them tell their story more positively?

Welcome to the latest Downtown Den Politics Podcast

View Frank's most recent blog HERE

Donald Trump decided to bomb Iran. Was the President simply pissed off with his TACO reputation- Trump Always Chickens Out- or has he got a longer term plan for the Middle East- and where does the unilateral action from the States and Israel leave international institutions? Are NATO and the UN now simply moribund, outdated, talking shops?

I’m Frank McKenna and this is the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Another very busy week in geopolitics. Israel and Iran are at war. In America, we've seen the shocking assassination of senior politicians.

This week the G7 comes together, where world leaders will attempt to find resolution to some of the events taking place across the globe which seem to have put the whole of the world in crisis.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Rachel Reeves announced her long awaited Spending Review last Wednesday and we will be reflecting about what that might do in terms of Labour's polling fortunes.

Keir Starmer also announced that there is going to be a national enquiry into grooming gangs but why did he wait so long...

This is the latest Downtown Den politics podcast!

The most powerful man in the world has fallen out with the richest man in the world- what will be the fall out from the Trump/Musk bust up?

Welcome to the latest Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Rachel Reeves is getting ready to announce her much anticipated spending review- but apparently all is not well with some of her Labour colleagues, with the deputy prime minister, the home secretary and some backbench MPs unhappy at some of the chancellor’s decisions.

And we’ll also be reflecting on an interesting week for Reform.

Welcome to the latest Downtown Den Politics Podcast.

Internationally, the Gaza conflict has sunk to new levels of depravity, The Ukraine war rages on, Poland has elected a populist president, Elon Musk has left the White House, Trump's tariffs are back and King Charles opened the Canadian Parliament.

We also learned what you need to appear on every major BBC current affairs programme … 5 MPs.

Welcome to the latest Downtown Den Politics Podcast.